USA > West Virginia > Men of West Virginia Volume II > Part 23
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Colonel Sikes obtained a common
and high school education and then learned the brick-mason trade and gradually engaged in contracting, a business he followed in Portsmouth, Ohio, and in Huntington, West Vir- ginia, in the latter city from 1872 un- til quite recently. He is well and fav- orably known to all of his fellow citi- zens, and his fine work is seen in al- most all of the principal business and residence structures of Huntington. In 1886 he served as chief of police of Huntington and in 1901 was elected to his present responsible position, and in 1903 was re-elected for a term of two years.
Colonel Sikes enlisted for service in the Civil War in Company G, Ist Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., for three months, and then re-entered the service as cap- tain of Company E, 33rd Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., was subsequently made ma- jor, then lieutenant-colonel and finally received his colonel's commission. He participated in some 30 of the main engagements of the war, notably the first battle of Bull Run, Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Lookout Mountain. He was in the 14th Army Corps, under Gen. George H. Thomas, for whom he retained so much respect and affection that he named one of his sons, now a prom- inent business man of Huntington, in
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his honor. After four years and 10 months in the army, he returned to Portsmouth. Colonel Sikes is an hon- ored member of Bailey Post, No. 4, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he has often been commander.
Colonel Sikes married Minerva I. Williams and their children are: Mrs. Ida M. Johnson, of Huntington; Ma- mie, bookkeeper for the W. M. Prin- dle Company of that city; Maude, at home; George H., a contractor in brick masonry ; Austin M., a stenogra- pher; and Herbert A., instructor in shorthand and bookkeeping at Mar- shall College, Huntington, although but a youth of 17 years. The religi- ous views of the family are in accord- ance with the Methodist faith. Fra- ternally, Colonel Sikes is a Royal Arch Mason.
JOHN BODLEY, a retired and well-to-do citizen of Wheeling, West Virginia, was for many years a part- ner in the enterprising business firm of Bodley Brothers, who manufact- ured wagons quite extensively in that sity. Mr. Bodley is the second child and youngest son of Joshua and Mar- tha (Galley) Bodley and was born in the city of Wheeling, December 17, 1844.
The four Bodley brothers originally
located in Wheeling at various dates between 1830 and 1851, and spent the remainder of their lives in that city. They were reared in Monongalia County, Virginia, now West Virginia. Two of the brothers married Galley sisters, and the other two married ladies named Donnelly, who bore the relation of aunt and niece, and were from Greene County, Pennsylvania.
The four Bodley brothers were Joshua, Joseph A., James and Daniel. The last named three learned the brick- layer's trade, and subsequently became prominent contractors in Wheeling. James also engaged in the manufacture of brick, and carried on that business with an unusual degree of success for 30 or 40 years. Daniel Bodley was born in 1833, and went to Wheeling in 1851. He married Jane Elizabeth Galley, who is now the only surviving member of the Galley family. Her husband's death, which occurred April 29, 1893, was the result of an accident. James had died previously, and Joseph A. passed to his final rest about 1895. Their loss was felt in the community, as they were especially prominent in business circles.
Joshua, the father of John, was born in 1812, and in 1830, while still a youth, sought his fortune in Wheel- ing. He learned the blacksmith's
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trade, and later engaged in the manu- facture of wagons, and followed that vocation the whole of his active life. His marriage with Martha Galley, a daughter of John Galley, took place in Wheeling and they reared three children,-two sons and one daugh- ter. In 1832 Joshua Bodley established a wagon factory, which he conducted alone for several years, when he took in David Richards as partner. They did business for a number of years. Later, in company with Thomas M. Galley, Joshua Bodley established an- other wagon factory, and Mr. Galley attended to the sale of the product up to the time of his last illness. After the death of his partner, Mr. Bodley continued the business by taking his son, James W., into partnership dur- ing the war, and later his son John, the subject of these lines, assisted him in the business. Upon the death of the father the business passed to these two sons, James W. and John, who continued the manufacture of vehicles under the name of Bodley Brothers until 1891, when John Bodley retired from the business. The concern was incorporated about that time as the Bodley Wagon Com- pany, and its location was changed to Staunton, Virginia. This company is in successful operation at the present time, under the careful and skillful
management of its president, James WV. Bodley.
John Bodley has one sister, Mary, who married David R. Brooks. Her husband died several years ago, and Mrs. Brooks lives in Wheeling, having a comfortable residence on 15th street.
ALEXANDER C. BURNS, M. D.
ALEXANDER C. BURNS, M. D., who since 1893 has been one of the leading physicians and esteemed and valued residents of Huntington, Cabeil County, West Virginia, was born in 1848, in Washington County, Pennsylvania. His parents are both de- ceased, but most of the members of the
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family still reside in the Keystone State. The family was a numerous one, Dr. Burns being one of the twelve children, and there being 50 grandchil- dren.
Dr. Burns obtained his education in the common schools and in young manhood followed the profession of teaching for some time, possessing a life certificate in his native State. For one year he was one of the instructors at the seminary at West Middletown, Pennsylvania, later entering Washing- ton-Jefferson College. One year later he matriculated at the University of Michigan, after having had four years of preparation with the local physi- cians, graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1877, and since June of that year has been in continuous practice, his first location being at Unionville, Lawrence County, Ohio. Although his skill is acknowledged in almost all lines of professional work, Dr. Burns has been especially successful in his treatment of bronchial troubles, and has a perfectly equipped office where he makes use of instruments es- pecially designed for him for the di- lating of the windpipe. His fame in treating stricture of this organ has brought him patients from long dis- tances and so closely has he devoted himself to their care that his own
health is threatening to give way. His latest special study has been of the pelvic organs and a post-graduate course taken lately in New York City has added to his general knowledge and prepared him for making a specialty in this line. He is located at No. 928 5th avenue, Huntington, where he erected a fine mansion and utilizes the basement for his offices.
Dr. Burns was united in marriage to a daughter of Judge C. T. Temple- ton, of Lawrence County, Ohio, and four children have been born to them : Adrienne, an accomplished elocution- ist and ex-student of Marshall Col- lege, is the very efficient city librarian of Huntington; Anice, a student at Marshall College, is occasionally as- sistant librarian; Orin E., educated at Marshall College, a fine stenogra- pher and bookkeeper, is engaged in a lumber business along the Norfolk & Western Railway, with offices at Hunt- ington ; and James, who is engaged in surveying in Kentucky.
It was largely through the efforts of Dr. Burns that the fine Carnegie Library, now in course of construc- tion, was secured for Huntington. He worked hard for the enterprise, se- cured the legislation and taxation necessary for its proper maintenance ; it is controlled by the Board of Edu-
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cation, of which he has been a member for seven years. Dr. Burns is a valued member of the local and State Medical Societies and his papers and opinions have weight with his brother prac- titioners. Fraternally he belongs to the B. P. O. E.
HARRY K. GRUBB.
HARRY K. GRUBB, one of the prominent citizens of Parsons, Tuck- er County, West Virginia, president of the Electric Light & Power Com- pany of this city, and manager at Par- sons for the firm of J. K. Mosser & Company, was born in 1866, in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Albert and Sarah J. (Grim) Grubb,
the former of whom was born in Mont- gomery County and the latter in Le- high County, Pennsylvania.
Albert Grubb was born in 1834 and died in 1892, aged 68 years. For many years he was a resident of Philadel- phia and for 40 years he kept a hotel in that city. For a long period he served as a school director there. In politics he was a Democrat. In re- ligion he was a member of the German Reformed Church. Fraternally he was a Mason. His wife died in 1876, aged 32 years. The two children of this marriage were our subject and his sister, Annie J., wife of Howard Nais- by, chief bookkeeper for the Philadel- phia & Reading Railroad Company, at Philadelphia.
Harry K. Grubb was well edu- cated in the schools of Philadelphia, and then went to Williamsport, Penn- sylvania, and entered into the employ of J. K. Mosser & Company, with which great house he has continued and is now holding the responsible po- sition of manager at Parsons. While at Williamsport he took an active in- terest in city affairs and served as one of the school directors, and was a mem- ber of the City Council. Since locat- ing in Parsons, he has been identified with the city's interests, and in 1902 served to the public's satisfaction as
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mayor of the city. In politics Mr. Grubb is a Republican. He is largely interested in many of the important industries of his section of the State, is president of the Electric Light & Power Company, of Parsons, is a stockholder and director in the Tucker County Bank, of Parsons, and owns stock in many established enterprises.
In 1888, Mr. Grubb was united in marriage, in Columbia County, Penn- sylvania, with Annie J. Frey. One son, Joseph K., has been born to this union. Mrs. Grubb is a member of the Baptist Church, while Mr. Grubb belongs to the German Reformed. Fraternally he is a member of the Roy- al Arcanum. Mr. Grubb is one of the progressive and enterprising young business men for which this age is noted.
FRANK D. YOUNG, one of the ablest advocates of law in the State of West Virginia, residing at Sistersville, was born August 9, 1853, in New Mar- tinsville, Wetzenl County, his parents being Dr. Jacob and Annie E. (Engle) Young, the former of whom is the old- est practicing physician in that section of the State and the latter being the sister of C. Engle, who was Circuit clerk of Tyler County for half a cent- ury.
Frank D. Young passed through the usual course of education and trials alloted to young men of his time, and began reading law with Basil T. Bow- ers. at the age of 19 years. He was admitted to the bar in 1874, his license being issued in June of that year, and signed by Circuit Judges C. S. Lewis and A. B. Fleming and Supreme Judge A. F. Haymond. After being admitted to practice, Frank D. Young spent one year's time with George E. Boyd, aft- erward judge of the First Judicial Cir- cuit. Mr. Young began the practice of the law for himself in New Martins- ville in 1875. He was successful from the start and had more of a practice than many who spent years at Har- vard, Yale and other like institutions, while he worked out his own life's problem in a different but just as ef- fective a way. In April, 1890, the fam- ily moved to Middlebourne where Mr. Young was engaged as the prosecuting attorney of Tyler County for three years. He located in Sistersville at the beginning of the oil excitement, and within a short time was chosen city so- licitor, which office he retained for one or two terms. He has been actively en- gaged in the practice of law for almost 29 years, paying special attention to chancery cases, and has spent several years in the Wetzel County circuit
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clerk's office, where his knowledge of form in the preparation of legal papers was largely acquired.
On June 8, 1881, Mr. Young was married to Belle V. Stealey, daughter of L. L. Stealey, of Middlebourne, Ty- ler County, and a niece of ex-Judge Thomas I. Stealey, of Parkersburg. Mr. Young is the father of four chil- dren : Wayne, Hattie, Jeanette and Jacob Lloyd. He is a Mason, Odd Fel- low, Elk, Knight of Pythias and a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
REV. NATHANIEL THOMAS FAY.
REV. NATHANIEL THOMAS FAY .- To glance but casually over the long and useful life of the vener-
able gentleman whose name appears. at the beginning of this record, recalls some of the most stirring events in the nation's history and its most wonderful development, while his personal achievements have been such as to bring him honor and esteem and an abundance of sincere affection for his declining years.
Rev. Mr. Fay, who resides at New Cumberland, Hancock County, was born November 26, 1813, in Camden, Maine, and is a son of Jesse and Lucy (Brown) Fay, the former of whom was born at Princeton, Massachus- etts, and the latter in New Hampshire.
Silas Fay, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Massachusetts, but removed to Maine and located in the vicinity of Camden, where he bought a large tract of land, a portion of which, including the old home, has been in the family until recently.
Jesse Fay, father of our subject, was born April 24, 1783 and died on the farm near Camden, June 17, 1865, having been a farmer in that section all his life. He married Lucy Brown, who was born October 12, 1780, and died August 21, 1867, and both lie at rest in the family plat in the Camden cemetery. She belonged to a promi- nent old Puritan family and her broth- ers were early cotton and wool manu-
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facturers in New Hampshire. The children born to Jesse Fay and wife were: Anna Elizabeth, who married Nahum Walker-both are now de- ceased and their two sons are living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Fred- erick Brown, who lived the greater portion of his life at Tiffin, Ohio, but died at Union Springs, Alabama ; Nathaniel Thomas, our subject ; Silas, who lived and died at Camden, Maine, where he was engaged in farming ; and Lucy, Maria and Achsah, all deceased, who lived on the old farm near Cam- den. Jesse Fay served in the War of 1812, in the Massachusetts militia, for which he received a pension.
Nathaniel Thomas Fay was reared in the old Camden home and attended the local schools until 1832, when he entered Munson Academy at Munson, Massachusetts. After two years of instruction under Professor Lawton, he was ready for college and in 1834 he entered Amherst College at Am- herst, Massachusets. After one term there, he removed to Colby College at Waterville, Maine, and was there graduated in 1839, with the degree of A. B. He was a student for one term at that great school of Presbyterian- ism, Andover Theological Seminary, and then entered Bangor Theological Seminary, where he was graduated, in
1842. Rev. Mr. Fay entered upon his ministerial duties at Montgomery, Wood County, Ohio, as pastor of the Presbyterian Church at that point, which later became a Congregational Church, and made that town his home until 1890.
While Rev. Mr. Fay has been blessed in his religious work, there is one portion of it upon which he looks with the greatest satisfaction. During the Civil War, he was selected by the Christian Commission, one of the greatest of the philanthropic enter- prises of the time, to go South as one of its representatives. He was placed at City Point, Virginia, at the time General Grant made that place his headquarters. Later he was sent to Nashville, Tennessee, and to Hunts- ville, Alabama. His ministrations continued with the sick and wound- ed and were rewarded in such ways as to bring comfort and rejoicing to the heart of this faithful clergyman. His help was given to the body as well as to the soul and his work in this line was of the greatest assistance at that time to the overtaxed physicians and surgeons.
For the past 10 years, Rev. Mr. Fay has not been in active relations with any charge, but keeps in corre- spondence with his brethren and at-
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tends all ministerial meetings that he is able to reach. Despite his age, he cherishes the hope that he may be able to attend the centennial celebration of the Elm Street Congregational Church, of Camden, Maine, in 1905, which was organized in 1805 and of which he is the oldest member. He has been a
MRS. LOUISA M. FAY.
strong supporter of the Republican party ever since its organization, and cast his first vote for President Zach- ary Taylor.
Rev. Fay was first married on February 13, 1844, at Falmouth, Mas- sachusetts, to Roxanna Woodbury, who was a resident of Wood County, Virginia, at the time of their marriage.
She was a daughter of Rev. Benjamin Woodbury, an eminent minister of the Congregational Church in Massachus- etts and later in Ohio. These children were born to them: Ellen, who mar- ried Heman McDaniels,-they reside in Oberlin, Ohio, while their children are being educated; Benjamin, who died young; Lucy, who married W. R. Gillis, an engineer, and lived in Minnesota; Abigail, who married Prof. G. T. Jewett, principal of a school for young ladies at Newton, Massachusetts; Henry, who studied medicine but became ill and went to the West, and now resides on his large ranch in California; Mary, who mar- ried A. Stackwiller and is now de- ceased; Jessie, who married M. H. Brundage, now a resident of Russell, Kansas; Frederick Brown, who died young; and Hattie, vocal and instru- mental music teacher at Howard Col- lege, a graduate of the Boston Con- servatory, and an accomplished young lady, died in young womanhood; and Anna, who was for a time at the head of the public schools of Mason City, Minnesota, and who is married and resides there. The mother of these children died November 2, 1872.
The second marriage of Mr. Fay was to Mrs. Louisa Maria (Thomp- son) Chapman, who was born at Fair-
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view, Hancock County, Virginia, now West Virginia, in 1832, and is a daughter of Dr. Giles S. and Johanna Lamaster (Chapman) Thompson, be- ing one of six children born to her parents. Dr. Thompson was born at Canandaigua, New York, and in 1824 removed to Hancock County, this State, as a teacher. He died at the age of 40, and his wife at the age of 70. Dr. Thompson's wife was a daughter of William Chapman, one of the very early settlers in Western Virginia, coming from Maryland, and entering 1,000 acres of land on which he en- gaged in extensive farming operations. Mrs. Fay is the only surviving mem- ber of her parents' family. Her first marriage was to William Chapman, who at death left two children,-Rose R. and John William, who reside in Hancock County.
CHARLES E. JOLLIFFE, cash- ier of the Exchange Bank of Manning- ton, Marion County, West Virginia, and one of the city's substantial and rep- resentative citizens, was born in 1859 in Monongalia County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and is a son of Capt. Oliver Perry and Sarah (Selby) Jolliffe, who still resides in Monongalia County, aged, respectively, 76 and 69 years.
Capt. Oliver Perry Jolliffe was born in the county of his present resi- dence, and with the exception of three years service in the Civil War has been continuously engaged in farming, and is one of the capitalists of his locality. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, he en- listed in Company C, 14th Reg., West Virginia Vol. Inf., and after serving mainly in the Shenandoah Valley was mustered out of the army with the rank of captain. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. Eight children were born to them, namely : Ethelbert O .; Charles E .; Jennie, wife of Frank R. Sapp; William S .; Thayer Melvin; Joseph A .; George C .; and Frank C.
Charles E. Jolliffe obtained a good common school education, and later spent three years in teaching, embark- ing then in a mercantile business at White Day, in Monongalia County. Two years later he removed his busi- ness at White Day to Uffington where he continued for three years, disposing of it then in order to accept the position of deputy clerk of the Circuit Court of Monongalia County. This position he very acceptably filled for two and one- half years, from 1886 to 1888, in the latter year being elected teller in the Merchants' National Bank of Morgan- town. Mr. Jolliffe remained with that
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institution until April, 1892, at which time he removed to Mannington and accepted his present responsible po- sition of cashier of the Exchange Bank of Mannington. Mr. Jolliffe is po- ssessed of large means and owns inter- est in coal and oil lands in Webster and Doddridge Counties. He is also a stockholder and a director in the Ex- change Bank of Littleton. He is one of the leaders in all public movements tending to the advancement of his section and has been particularly useful on the Board of Education in the Man- nington district, which is the largest school district in the State, and is serv- ing his second term as its president.
In 1888 Mr. Jolliffe married Sallie Vandevort, who was born in 1868 near Morgantown, and is a daughter of Nicholas and Esther ( Miller) Vande- vort. Five children have been born to this union, viz. : Frank V., Oliver Paul, James E., Charles Byron, and Mary Esther. Mrs. Jolliffe is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, our subject is identified with the Republican party. Fraternally he affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Maccabees, and the Modern Woodmen of America. The family is one which is held in the highest esteem in Man- nington.
GEORGE ORT.
GEORGE ORT, the leading mer- chant of Clendenin, Kanawha County, West Virginia, was born December 4. 1862, at Matamoras, Washington County, Ohio, and is a son of Conrad and Rosiana Ort, both of whom were born natives of Germany.
Conrad Ort was born in 1820 in Hesse-Darmstadt and came to Amer- ica at the age of 18 years. He lived at Pittsburg for six years and then located at Matamoras, Washington County, Ohio, where he engaged in a coopering business. The mother of our subject was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1828, and was 16 years old when she came to this country, lo- cating at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In 1859 she married Conrad Ort and they moved to Matamoras, Ohio, and there
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their children were born, viz .: Lizzie, Rose, George and Annie. After they removed to Kanawha County, West Virginia, in 1873, Samuel Charles, Kate and Lillian were added to the family. Upon removing to Kanawha County, they settled in the German set- tlement which was then called Ken- dalia, but was later named Rosiana, in honor of our subject's mother, and there Conrad Ort bought a farm. It was situated fully two miles from any highway, 20 miles from any town and 25 miles from Charleston. The fam- ily endured all the privations of pio- neer life in the wilds of West Virginia, while trying to make headway against unfortunate circumstances. In his own country Conrad Ort was fairly edu- cated, while his wife had attended col- lege.
Thus it came about that our sub- ject in boyhood had very poor educa- tional opportunities. He later at- tended the Perkins & Hemple Mercan- tile College at St. Louis in 1890, and took a course in bookkeeping and busi- ness methods, having previously had a few months' instruction each year in the common schools. In 1892 he took a course at the Roland & Elliott, now the Capitol City, Commercial College, at Charleston. For eight years Mr. Ort then engaged very successfully in
the lumber business at Charleston and through Kanawha County. In 1889 he spent six months in travel, making a tour through Mexico, Cuba, Central America and South America as far as Venezuela. Upon his return he em- barked in the drug business with Wayne Beckwith, under the style of Ort & Beckwith, at Charleston, and conducted the same for six years. Having been brought up in the wilds. of West Virginia, and having often had occasion to use the rifle, Mr. Ort- very naturally retained his boyhood- fondness for his gun and dogs and is never happier than when in the chase with the hounds on a hot trail. His fondness for country life led him to. sell his Charleston interests that re- quired his personal attention, and to move to Clendenin near good fishing and hunting grounds. In 1902 he pur- chased the mercantile business of W. L. Gwinn at Clendenin and has con- ducted the leading store there ever since. He has the finest residence in the place and is one of its largest cap- italists. He owns large timber tracts and valuable coal lands and is the prin- cipal stockholder of The Ort Compa- ny, of Charleston, dealers in dry goods, notions and shoes, his partners being his brother and sister.
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